“I have always loved Bollywood music” – Cymbol

Shivnesh Sumer, known more commonly by his stage name Cymbol, was born in Fiji to a family which has its roots in India. As Cymbol grew up in New Zealand, he got exposed to a variety of music and realized that he would want to carve out a name for himself in this space. A lot of his music tends to carry elements of dance, pop and R&B in it. After releasing a bunch of singles in the past, Cymbol recently released his debut album titled ‘Distractions’. The album offers a glimpse into the multicultural influences Cymbol had as an artist.

While speaking about your debut album ‘Distractions’ in an interview, you stated that it gave you the opportunity to blend different cultures together and bring a sense of diversity and inclusivity into your music. You also said that the album marks the beginning of a new chapter in your life as an artist. How was the process of putting this album together?

I have been making and producing music over the last decade in New Zealand. This album is a culmination of the last 4-5 years of my work. A few songs are as old as seven years old. I have revamped the songs to ensure they sound fresh. The first 8 tracks represent the kind of sound I have been creating for the last 10 years. The track ‘Distractions’ features Chitralekha Sen on the vocals. She has brought the Hindi and Punjabi twist in the song alive with her voice. American rap. Through my production, I have tried to give a hip-hop flavour to the song. I think the track blends in all these different elements nicely together. I have been deep-diving into Bollywood music of late. I am trying to spend my time making music that amalgamates my sound from New Zealand and the sound of India.

In the year 2013, you won the George FM Remix Competition in New Zealand. That proved to be a turning point in my career.

George FM is a popular radio station in New Zealand. A friend of mine encouraged me to participate in that competition. Winning the George FM Remix Competition changed a lot of things for me. I met a manager who was looking for a producer. For the next eight years, he managed me. Now, I am fully independent and want to do things differently. That is why I am spending a lot of time in Mumbai now.

You were born in Fiji and grew up in New Zealand. Your family, however, is from India.

Yes, that’s right. I was not born in India. My ancestors migrated from India a long time back. I am not sure as to which part of India they came from. I was born in Fiji and moved to New Zealand in 1996 when I was 6 years of age. I grew up in New Zealand. Bollywood was instilled in me by my father who was a musician. My mother was a singer. They used to tour with my sister who is a popular singer. I remember being a part of those tours as a child. They would be performing live to the latest Bollywood hits. It was fascinating to witness all that. I have always loved Bollywood music. I love the energy, rhythm and the percussive elements in Bollywood music. It has kind of gotten transferred into what I am doing right now.

Though you have worked extensively as an independent artist, you have had an association with some mainstream labels, like Universal Music.

After winning the George FM Remix Competition, I started releasing singles. They did very well on George FM. Around 2016 – 17, I made a track which topped the charts. That led me to Universal Music Australia/New Zealand. I had a three-year deal with them. When you work with a big label, you know that your music is being handled and marketed well. I have been releasing independently for the last three years. It’s cool because you get to know the ins and outs of everything that is a part of the process. Though I am working independently now, I would not say a no if a mainstream label approaches me to work with them.

What are you doing next?

You can expect a lot of rhythm, drums and hybrid music with hip-hop and western elements. I will be releasing a few tracks in Hindi and Punjabi as well.